


come on baby (it's you)

by shxrogane (minsazucar)



Series: voltron lgbt month fics [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/F, M/M, Romantic Comedy, and just bc i promised on tumblr i would make it happen:, blind date au, keith x hot cheeto action, lance tries to play matchmaker au, or rather:, very minor acxa/ezor, voltron lgbt month 2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-08 08:29:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12860730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minsazucar/pseuds/shxrogane
Summary: In which Lance binge watched too many matchmaker shows and isconvincedhe can hook up his friends with some hot dates.Thankfully, things work out anyways.---written for Day 1 (WLW), Day 2 (MLM), and Day 3 (Bi) of voltron lgbt month





	1. (you're the one) I love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 1 (WLW)- Pidge/Allura blind date

“Hear me out Pidge, I think this one’s a real winner.”

Lance slid into the seat in front of her, disturbing her beautifully peaceful coffee shop lounging. His eyes twinkled with excitement and she felt a ball of dread settle deep in her gut.

“Please tell me you didn’t set up another blind date.” She groaned, setting her coffee mug on the table to avoid throwing it at him in a fit of passion.

“Alright, I won’t tell you. Just show up at the carnival grounds, Friday night at 7.” He was still smiling that dumb, smug smile and Pidge’s fingers twitched.

“Lance,” she whined pathetically, drawing out the syllable.

“Pidge.” He mocked her tone, but his smile turned into something kinder. “Honestly, I think you should give it one more shot. I think I did a real good job this time!”

Lance had been trying, and failing, at playing matchmaker for the past month or so. Every date he’d tried to set her up on had ended in complete disaster. Pidge didn’t know where he kept finding these chicks and why he ever thought they’d be compatible with her weird ass. Yet he refused to be dissuaded, taking it as a personal challenge to find someone that lasted longer than one date for Pidge. 

Honestly, just because he had some dumb luck success hooking up Hunk and Keith didn’t mean he suddenly knew what he was doing. But his eyes were so earnest as he stared at her, pleadingly, and she was nothing if not overly indulgent of her dumb friends sometimes.

“Alright, I’ll bite,” she sighed, picking up her coffee in defeat. “What makes her a winner? Do we have any common interests?”

“Uh… not sure.” Lance chuckled nervously.

Pidge rolled her eyes. Of course he didn’t know. He never knew.

“Wonderful. Is she even gay?” She drawled sarcastically, recalling the last disaster of a date.

“Yes! I made sure this time, don’t worry.” So it seemed even Lance didn’t want a repeat of ‘the Karen incident.’

Pidge just quirked an eyebrow, suspiciously sipping her latte. He had yet to convince her. Lance sighed and put on his ‘serious face’

“Look, she’s like super hot, and smart, and tall. I’ve known her for a bit and I think you’ll actually get along. I promise I put more thought into it this time.”

She sat up and cleared her throat, looking up at him bashfully. “... how tall is she, exactly?”

Lance’s answering grin was downright wicked.

“Her name is Allura. Carnival grounds, Friday, 7pm. And look _cute_ this time.”

He took off before she could respond, expertly dodging the foot she kicked at him. She grumbled to herself and sank back into her seat. Well, it wasn’t like she had anything better to do Friday night. She glared at the coffee shop entrance that Lance had disappeared through and hissed one more retort into her mug.

“Bitch, I always look cute.”

 

…

 

Pidge arrived at the carnival grounds fifteen minutes early, dressed to the nines and ready to be horribly disappointed. She listened to Lance and actually put effort into her appearance, wearing her best ripped jeans and giant NASA hoodie ensemble. She’d even put on eyeliner and her favorite green lip gloss for this date. Not that she actually thought anything good would come of it.

She was sure this Allura chick would be a perfectly lovely girl, as were all the others Lance had set her up with. But it seemed like ‘perfectly lovely’ wasn’t really something Pidge was into, and those types were definitely not into whatever Pidge was. They were often turned off by her humor, her interests, her mannerisms, and she could honestly say the feeling was mutual. A pretty face wasn’t the only thing she was into, but Lance never did seem to understand that.

So when 7 o’clock came around and Pidge looked up to see a figure approaching her, she let out a sigh of defeat and prepared to meet her doom. Allura was, of course, drop dead gorgeous. She was dressed up nicely, simple low black heels, high waisted jeans, and a crop top that accentuated her sculpted shoulders and defined abs. Pidge felt weak in the knees but she forced herself to look up into Allura’s sparkling blue eyes.

Lance hadn’t been lying. Allura was seriously tall, towering over Pidge’s barely five foot ass. She gave what was hopefully a welcoming smile and held out her hand in greeting.

“Hi there, I’m Pidge,” her voice only shook a little bit, and she considered it a small victory.

“I’m Allura. Pleasure to meet you.” She reached out and shook her hand politely, smiling charmingly through ruby red lipstick. “Lance has told me absolutely nothing about you.”

The comment was so nonchalant, delivered in the same pleasant accented English as her greeting, that Pidge couldn’t help but snort.

“I’m definitely not surprised.” She retorted, letting go of Allura’s soft, _soft_ hands. “Was the carnival his idea or yours?”

“His idea. Although he might’ve suggested it since I’d mentioned recently having never been to one.” She shrugged, her smile turning the slightest bit sharper, more playful maybe

“Oh, so he _does_ pay attention to what people say? Coulda fooled me.” 

Pidge rolled her eyes but winced internally. That came off a little harsher than she’d intended. She tended to do that, especially when she was nervous, and it was that harshness that usually scared her dates away. But Allura didn’t seem bothered by it, not yet, still smiling in amusement, so Pidge tried to recover.

“But, since it’s your first time, let’s try and make it a fun time?” She meant it as a statement, but her voice tilted into a question, giving Allura an out if she wanted to take it.

To Pidge’s relief — or maybe her horror, she wasn’t too sure — Allura didn’t take the out. Instead she moved forward and placed a gentle hand on Pidge’s shoulder.

“Sounds marvelous. Please, lead the way.”

Pidge giggled nervously and nodded, turning around haltingly to lead the way into the carnival. Allura’s presence was warm by her side, making her hyper aware of her surroundings. She couldn’t tell if Allura was genuinely interested in this date or if she was just humoring her. She supposed she would find out soon enough. 

They settled on riding the roller coaster first, to get the big rides out of the way early on. As they stood in line somewhat awkwardly, Pidge fished around for something to talk about. Curse Lance for telling them absolutely nothing about each other. She was sure there was a certain appeal to these blind dates, that some people took comfort in the mystery and the idea that the most mundane of questions could be conversation starters. 

But Pidge could never bring herself to ask normal questions, like ‘where are you from’ or ‘do you go to school’; no, she found herself blurting out the most random question, yet again.

“So, aliens. You believe in them, or what?”

There was a moment of silence that seemed to stretch between them for an eternity. Pidge looked up at Allura with wide eyes. Allura looked down at Pidge with a surprised expression. And then she smiled, rather radiantly, and answered the odd question.

“Actually, I’m quite the believer if I do say so myself. Some would even call me an enthusiast,” she replied, rather proudly, and Pidge fought not to gawk.

“Oh, no shit?” She murmured incredulously.

“No shit. How about you?” Allura asked, voice colored with a newfound enthusiasm.

“Yeah, aliens are rad. I’m into that whole ‘x-files I wanna believe’ aesthetic.” Pidge replied with a crooked smile.

Allura’s eyes gave her a thorough once over, one that sent a shiver up her spine.

“I can tell,” she drawled with a teasing smirk.

“Yeah,” Pidge chuckled, scrambling to change the focus off her, “but as for the plausibility of aliens? They most definitely exist, but I doubt they’ve ever visited earth.”

“Oh?” Allura lifted a brow, moving forward in line and pulling Pidge with her, “Then what do you make of the hundreds upon thousands of reported and documented UFO sightings from around the globe?” 

She presented the statement almost like a challenge. Pidge smiled dangerously, not backing down from her opinion.

“Oh, those are usually real. People most definitely see UFOs and shit. But assuming all UFOs are extraterrestrial in nature is just… dumb,” she dismissed the argument with a casual wave of her hand. 

Allura giggled and moved a little closer. Pidge thought maybe the line was moving again, but that wasn’t the case. She swallowed nervously as Allura leaned in even closer, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret.

“I admire your resolve in that stance. I myself am more of a fan of the government conspiracies when it comes to UFO sightings.”

Allura was _teasing her_ and Pidge looked up at her in surprise. Her blue eyes were practically dancing in the bright carnival lights, reflecting amusement and jest. Pidge smiled back up at her, leaning in to continue in faux secrecy.

“Oh yeah, big same. Governments are shady as fuck.”

“I’m inclined to agree,” Allura murmured with a smirk.

Their weird little intimate moment was interrupted by the ride operator, who cleared his throat rather obnoxiously to grab their attention. They gave him an apologetic smile and hopped into the small roller coaster seat. By the end of the ride, Pidge’s face was beet red because of the adrenaline, okay? Definitely not because of how closely she’d been pressed to Allura the entire ride.

The rest of the night was spent like that, talking about their obscure interests and reveling in their shared dry humor. They managed to ride nearly every ride in the small carnival, not dissuaded in the bit by their make-shift assembly. Pidge even started pointing out engineering flaws on certain rides, which Allura seemed to take as a challenge instead of a warning, dragging her towards them every time.

The night ended with them walking slowly back to their cars, Pidge holding a strange plushy that Allura had won at one of the carnival games. It was while watching Allura knock out all the blocks with a perfect pitching form that she learned her hot date was also on their university’s softball league. That definitely explained the biceps Pidge had been drooling over all night.

“So, this is me.” Pidge announced, pausing next to her car.

“I had a lot of fun tonight.” Allura smiled, stopping close to her side.

“Yeah, same here.” Pidge matched her smile, although maybe her’s was tinged with a bit more relief.

“I’d like to do this again. Maybe on Sunday, if you’re free?”

Allura didn’t hesitate in her offer at all, and Pidge could definitely appreciate her straightforward attitude. That didn’t mean she wasn’t at least a little flustered by Allura’s abrasiveness.

“Oh, yeah, totally, sounds rad,” she squeaked out, clearing her throat with a blush. “Uh, what did you have in mind?”

Now it was Allura’s turn to look a bit bashful. She looked down at her feet as she shifted about nervously. 

“Well, you see, there’s this special screening of some sci-fi classics at the drive-in all day,” she explained with a shy smile.

“Oh shit, yeah! I heard about that. I’m totally game.” Pidge beamed, restoring Allura’s confidence it seemed.

“Great, so I’ll pick you up at noon? We can grab lunch on the way,” she added with a bright smile, eyes twinkling with enthusiasm.

“Y-yeah. Awesome.” 

Pidge wondered if she’d ever stop getting caught off guard by Allura’s beauty. Probably not. She could live with that.

“Let me see your phone.” 

Allura held out her hand in anticipation as Pidge dug in her pocket for her phone. She handed it over after unlocking the screen and Allura quickly got to work.

“I put my number in. Text me your address or wherever you’d like me to meet you.”

Allura handed back the phone and Pidge gave her a quick nod, trying not to bounce in giddy joy.

“Yeah, will do. Can’t wait.”

Allura’s smiled softened and she took a step forward. She ducked down close to her face and Pidge’s breath caught in her throat. But all Allura did was press a light kiss to her cheek, bouncing back with a light laugh.

“Goodnight, little pigeon.” She called out with a pretty wave, walking away to her own car.

“Night.” Pidge barely managed to choke out the sound before her brain totally shut down.

She watched Allura slip into a nice car a few rows down and drive off. Only then did she unlock her own car, slip in the seat, lock the doors, and scream into her hands. Once she calmed down and her blood pressure returned to normal, she started up her car and got ready to go home. Not before checking herself out in a mirror though, where she was thrilled to see a bright red lipstick stain on her cheek.

Tonight, not even the thought of Lance’s gloating could dampen her good mood.

 

…

 

Pidge marched up to Lance in the student quad, slapping her hands on the table and scaring the shit out of him. Good. She was going for intimidation tactics.

“How’d you do it?” She hissed, sliding into the seat across from him.

“What?” He asked dumbly, eyes wide and confused.

“How the _fuck_ did you actually manage to find my dream girl? After failing so many times, _how_?!” Pidge couldn’t keep a reign on her emotions, letting her incredulity leak through.

“Oh shit, so things went well? You like Allura?” He asked giddily, looking awfully proud of himself.

“Answer the question Lance!” She demanded, reaching for his hand to start twisting his fingers painfully.

“Okay, okay! Mercy!” He yelped, surrendering quickly.

She let go and sat back, waiting for him to explain. He took a deep breath and began to tell his tale. 

“So, I just had to go back to my humble beginnings, yknow? I had to ask myself, ‘Lance, my buddy, my dude… what was it that made you wanna get Hunk and Keith together?’”

“Yeah, how _did_ you manage that? I thought it was dumb luck.” Pidge interrupted, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

“My dearest Pidge, there _is_ a method to my madness.” He smiled smugly.

She leaned forward again, drumming her fingers on the table menacingly. That wiped the smile off his face real quick.

“My patience is wearing thin.”

“Okay!” He clapped and got back to the point. “So you know when I’m getting on your nerves, and you get this really ticked off look in your eye? Like, I’m talking scary pissed.”

“Uh, yeah, I guess?”

“Yeah, well, Allura does the same thing! That’s how I _knew_ you two were perfect.” He concluded, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“What the fuck Lance.” Pidge murmured, slumping in her seat.

“Hey, but was I wrong?” Lance leaned forward with a smirk, knowing he’d won this round.

“Guess not.”

Pidge managed a smile even as she rolled her eyes. She honestly couldn’t be upset with her friend, not at all; not when her phone buzzed for the nth time that day, Allura’s contact name popping up on her screen. Whatever stupid method Lance had used, she was glad he did it. It had obviously worked for Hunk and Keith, and now it seemed to be working for her.

“So, anyways, next I think I’m gonna try to hook Shiro up with someone nice.”

Pidge looked up at her friend, who was looking at someone in the distance. Of course, when she turned she saw it was Shiro, happily chatting to some underclassmen. She looked back at Lance and his dopey forlorn expression and sighed. He was doing a horrible job of concealing his own crush on the man. An idea occurred to her and she smiled slyly.

“Yeah Lance, go for it. You never know, the perfect match for him might be closer than you think.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First fic for voltron lgbt month!!! It’s an event month I hoped onto last minute but I’m trying to get something written for all of the days bc I think it’s such a great event!!
> 
> HMU on tumblr @fratboyshiro
> 
> Check out the event on tumblr @voltronlgbtmonth
> 
> Next chapter will be up tomorrow!


	2. (you're the one) I need

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 2 (MLM)- Hunk/Keith blind date
> 
> a prequel to the Pidge/Allura blind date ;--)

“And so _then_ , I was like ‘see, I never trusted him to begin with.’ Like, of course I was right...”

Lance nodded along to whatever story Hunk was going on about. He wasn’t purposely tuning out his friend, not at all, it was just that lately he had something else on his mind. Whether it was a good idea or it was just the product of Lance binge watching a matchmaker show last night, he wasn’t too sure. But either way, he was tempted to try it out. And so it was with his best pair of puppy dog eyes that he leaned forward and interrupted Hunk.

“Hunk, can I set you up on a blind date?”

“A what now?” 

Hunk stared at him blankly, which wasn’t an outright rejection, so Lance kept going.

“A blind date. Y’know, like I play matchmaker and set you up with someone without telling either person anything about the other,” he explained with maybe a little too much enthusiasm.

“I don’t know Lance…”

“Come on man,” he pouted, pushing to get his way. “Look, I wouldn’t even be suggesting this if you weren’t so… picky.”

“I’m not picky!” Hunk declared, seemingly affronted. Lance scoffed.

“The minute I start telling you about some nice person I know, you always find a reason to shoot me down,” he countered, daring Hunk to disagree.

“I think maybe you’re just not the best at making people sound good,” Hunk grumbled, crossing his arms defensively.

Lance didn’t even let the insult phase him. “Either way, the point still stands: a blind date is the solution.”

“Lance…” Hunk groaned, still hesitant, but Lance could tell his resolve was cracking.

“Come on Hunk, one shot!” Lance pleaded, sincerely wanting to be given a chance. “I’ve got someone in mind and I don’t want you to shut it down right away.”

“Fine,” Hunk sighed, giving him a firm look. “One shot, man. That’s it.”

“You won’t regret it!”

Lance whooped in victory, jumping out of his seat. He needed to get to work then. This blind date had to be _perfect_. Plus, he still needed the other half of his plan to agree to the date. He waved Hunk a quick goodbye and set out like a man on a mission; a mission to find and blackmail Keith into a date.

 

…

 

In hindsight, Hunk wasn’t so sure why he had agreed to go along with Lance’s ridiculous plan. Perhaps it was partly out of pity — Lance had seemed so eager, Hunk couldn’t crush his dreams like that — but it was also part curiosity. He wondered who it was that Lance was so confident about that he’d talk Hunk into something as risky as a blind date. And so here he was, indulging his friend, driving up to the designated meeting spot right on time.

He parked in the semi-empty lot and made his way towards the entrance of what seemed to be a desert trail. Hunk was wearing his big yellow cardigan, as per Lance’s instructions, and was supposed to be on the lookout for someone in a red leather jacket. Well, he certainly didn’t have to search for long. Right at the entrance was a lone figure, their slim frame draped in a… somewhat _familiar_ red jacket.

As he got closer, the jacket wasn’t the only thing familiar about them. The black yoga pants and combat boots, the dark hair pulled into a small ponytail, the blue eyes that almost looked violet in some lighting; that was most definitely Keith, a dude in his theoretical physics class that he’d never considered talking to before. Mainly because he was intimidating as hell.

How the heck did Lance even _know_ this guy?

He hesitantly continued his approach and Keith finally noticed his presence, those striking eyes snapping up from his phone to pierce Hunk to his core. Surprise was clearly written all over his features and Hunk felt his anxiety spike. Crap, what had Lance told Keith to get him to agree to this date? Keith didn’t seem much like the blind date kind of guy. Was Keith even into guys? 

His head was swimming with so many questions that he hardly registered the relieved smile Keith wore as he greeted him.

“Hey, you’re from my physics class, right? Hunk?” Keith asked, shoving his phone into his pocket.

“Yeah, yep, that is certainly me. And you’re Keith,” Hunk pointed out, not sure what else to say.

“Yeah,” Keith’s lip twitched as he gave Hunk a look over, focusing on his yellow cardigan. “Uh, are you…”

“Your blind date?” Hunk supplied hesitantly and Keith nodded shortly. He smiled and shrugged, “Looks like it.”

“Cool,” he breathed with a shy smile, before clearing his throat and speaking up. “Okay, yeah. Lance literally didn’t tell me anything, so this is a surprise.”

“Same here.” Hunk chuckled nervously, not sure if the surprise was good or bad. “Listen, if you’re not interested, we can totally just go home and pretend this never happened.”

“No!” Keith blurted out, eyes wide, faking a cough to cover up his outburst. “Uh, I mean, I’m still down. For the date. I just found out this is a paintball place and it looks fun.” 

He looked up at Hunk with just a twinge of doubt. “I mean, are _you_ still down?”

“Yeah, yeah okay.” Hunk quickly reassured him, putting on a fake smile to mask his nerves. “Paintball. Sounds fun.”

“Awesome. Let’s go then?” 

Keith gave him another shy smile and Hunk felt his insides melt, just a little bit. Maybe this wouldn’t turn out to be a total disaster. At the very least, maybe they could emerge as friends? That would be nice. With a genuine smile this time, Hunk walked forward and let Keith lead the way.

 

…

 

Zombie paintball. Lance had sent them to have a blind date at a zombie paintball event. Hunk was absolutely going to murder him.

Between the screaming and running and frantic shooting, Hunk doubted he was making a very good impression. Meanwhile, Keith looked like he was having the time of his life. He was quick and agile, with maybe the fastest reflexes Hunk had ever seen. They’d both stripped down to their undershirts before jumping into the field, the avoid ruining their clothing. Keith’s black t shirt perfectly showcased his lean muscle, and did a great job at distracting Hunk even further.

They were sweaty, covered in paint and blood and mud, and yet Keith still managed to look stunning. 

Hunk, on the other hand, just felt like a complete wreck. It wasn't that he was tired or couldn’t keep up; he just didn’t do well with jump scares, okay? Zombies were scary, and even if he knew they were just actors, it didn’t change how easily startled he was. All he could focus on was staying close to Keith and firing rapidly in random directions, hoping he’d hit something. Keith, for his part, seemed to be quite conscious of Hunk’s presence, always making sure to stay close as well. For this, he was endlessly grateful.

They squatted behind a large boulder, trying to catch their breath before the next attack. Right ahead of them, there was the final checkpoint. Hunk was surprised they’d made it this far. Keith eyed the final flag, guarded by a horde of the undead, and turned back to Hunk with bright eyes.

“Alright Hunk, I’m gonna need you brain here. What’s the best plan of attack?”

Hunk blinked at him in surprise, but Keith looked nothing but confident in his abilities. He peeked over the boulder and took in the terrain quickly, calculating the distance and different probabilities of success. They needed to break through that horde, grab the flag, and deliver it to the finish line, without letting any of the zombies rip off their safety badge. Hunk huffed and turned back to Keith with a serious expression.

“How much ammo do you have left?” 

Keith opened his paintball cartridge in response. Neither of them were really good shots so they’d used up quite a bit of their supply. Counting what they had in their guns and supply belts, they had maybe 50 shots left between them. Hunk bit his lip and ran the numbers again.

“Okay, I have an idea, but you gotta trust me.”

“I trust you,” Keith responded earnestly, no hesitation in sight.

That was one thing Hunk had come to learn about Keith during this experience. The dude was honest and straightforward, qualities he could definitely appreciate. He smiled at the smaller man and held out his hand.

“Give me your ammo then.”

Keith only paused for a second before unloading his cartridge and handing the bullets over to Hunk. He smiled confidently and proceeded to explain his plan.

“Alright, so I’m gonna be the distraction. See that outcropping of boulders?”

Keith poked his head from out their hiding spot, quickly spotting the rocks Hunk had mentioned, and nodded. Hunk leaned in close and continued explaining his plan, pointing out landmarks as he went.

“I’m gonna make my way over to that, climb it, and keep the zombies busy. Once most of them are focused on me, you go that way, towards the underbrush.”

“And then I’ll be able to circle around and grab the flag without them noticing.” Keith turned to him with a sharp smile, unbothered by their sudden proximity.

“Exactly.” Hunk agreed, moving back a bit. “I’ll need the ammo to fend them off as long as I can. Here’s a few for you, in case of an emergency.”

Keith took the five pellets in hand and dropped them into his cartridge as if they were precious gems. He looked back up at Hunk and nodded resolutely, fire blazing in his eyes again. Despite his fears, Hunk couldn’t help but smile back. He took a deep breath to steady himself and then gave Keith a quick salute.

“It’s been an honor fighting zombies with you.”

And with that, he jumped out from behind their boulder and started running towards the horde. He shouted taunts with a loud bravado, acting like he was trying to break through and grab the final flag. Once all their attention was on him, he ducked to the left and started scrambling up the rocks, not even having to act scared shitless, because he _was_ scared shitless. The actors made pretty convincing zombies, okay?

The horde surrounded the boulders, scratching up the sides but unable to climb up the top. Hunk screamed and randomly shot at them, but made sure to do so sparingly to save ammo. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a streak of black and looked up in time to see Keith make a mad dash for the final flag. He managed to snag it and was just about to turn to deliver it to the finish line, when one of the zombies turned around and spotted him.

“Crap.”

One by one, the zombie actors left Hunk behind and hobbled their way towards Keith, cutting off his clear path to victory. Keith was a fast sprinter, but even he couldn’t zoom past that many zombies without getting his badge taken. Hunk quickly surveyed their surroundings, looking for an alternative course of action. Although the zombies had cut off Keith’s path toward the finish line, they’d left the path to Hunk completely open. He had an idea.

“Keith! Run towards me, and hurry!” He called out, urging him over before the zombies changed direction to block his path again.

Keith spun around and took off, heading straight towards Hunk. The zombies moved en mass after him, chasing at about half Keith’s speed. As Keith got closer, Hunk steadied his center of gravity and made his best guestimation about how much force this would take. He was relying heavily on two variables: one, that Keith weighed under 170lbs and two, that Keith was a fast thinker and would roll with the punches, so to speak. He looked down and Keith was closing in fast. He stuck his arm out over the boulder’s edge.

“Grab on!”

The second he had Keith’s hand in a firm grip, Hunk heaved him up and swung him around, launching him a good ten yards in the right direction. Well, he was definitely lighter than expected, but that was fine, it just meant he got more distance in his throw. Keith landed into a barrel roll and got up running, having gained enough of a head start to avoid the zombies and head straight for the finish line.

Hunk cheered from his spot on the boulder as Keith crossed the line, and even the zombies had to pause and clap for their vigorous performance. Now that the game was over, Hunk climbed down and jogged over to Keith, getting the occasional high five from an impressed actor.

“Dude, that was awesome. I knew you could do it!” He congratulated Keith with a firm slap to the back, smile wide and stress-free for the first time that day.

“Me? What about you?!” Keith stared up at him with wide eyes, as if he was something incredible. “Hunk, you must’ve launched me a good 30 feet. That’s fucking impressive.”

“I actually didn’t mean to throw you that far. You were just lighter than expected. I’m just glad you recovered so quickly.” Hunked chuckled bashfully, rubbing his neck, not used to being the focus of so much attention.

“Are you implying that you could throw me even farther than that?” Keith asked with a strange glint to his eyes.

“Uh, yeah? Easily.” Hunk smiled crookedly, kind of confused by the question.

“Fuck me,” he breathed, barely above a whisper, eyes blown wide.

“What?” Hunk asked, not sure what he’d said.

The tips of Keith’s ears were bright red, and there was a healthy flush to his cheeks. Probably from exertion. At least, Hunk hoped it was just from exertion and not because he’d gotten sunburnt. That would suck. Keith cleared his throat and turned around, leading the way back to the main building. Wow, even his neck was red.

“I said, uh, fuck me, I forgot about that assignment for Iverson. About mass propulsion in low gravity?” Keith explained.

“Oh yeah, that’s due next class, huh?” Hunk mused, jogging a bit to catch up so they could walk side by side. 

What? He liked seeing Keith’s face, okay? It was a nice face, even covered in sweat and dirt. And just the teensiest bit of blood from a split lip. Actually, seeing all the cuts and bruises blooming on Keith’s exposed skin made Hunk aware of his own aches and pains. Man, paintball was _painful_. Even with a protective vest and goggles on, he was still gonna be sore for a while.

“So like… I was wondering, if you’re free, do you wanna get together tomorrow? Like, a study date or something? Kind of a change of pace from this.” 

For the first time that day, Keith looked wholly unsure of himself. Which was funny, because he looked as unsure as Hunk _felt_.

“What, like a date-date? Or a friend study date?” Hunk chuckled nervously, trying not to jump to conclusions.

“I mean like a real date. You can come to my place, if you want. I can get dinner, my treat.”

Keith smiled at him bashfully and Hunk blinked in bewilderment. Wow, Keith was like… actually serious about this. Hunk had definitely been skeptical about this whole date thing at the start, but he’d actually had a good time. Keith was a lot… how should he say it… cuter? Than expected? 

From the few times Hunk had seen him in class or around campus, he just gave off a generally unfriendly vibe. He was always alone with this bored look in his eye, as if he’d rather be anywhere than there at the moment. Sure, he was attractive, but looks weren’t everything. So Hunk had never really given him a second glance.

But now he was kind of wishing he had. Maybe if he’d looked closer, if he’d let go of his preconceived notions about the dude, he would’ve seen that Keith wasn’t all that bad. He had an awkward sense of humor and a nice smile, and a competitive nature that rivaled even Lance’s. They actually got along pretty well, and Hunk found that he wouldn’t mind trying for a second date if Keith was offering.

He must’ve taken too long to answer because Keith was getting antsy. He stepped in front of Hunk, right before they got into the main building, wearing a renewed look of determination.

“Listen, I thought we really clicked today. And also, just being honest, I’ve had a crush on you for like the majority of this semester.” Keith rushed the end of his sentence, but Hunk still heard every word, loud and clear.

“What? Why?” He was sincerely dumbfounded by the confession.

“You’re really nice, and funny. And super smart. And I think your smile is really pretty.”

Keith’s face was flushed red again, and Hunk realized belatedly that maybe his blush hadn’t been from the sun. Maybe it had been because of _him_. Well shit, how did he even respond to that? 

“Actually I’m super judgemental and my puns are horrible, but, thank you?” 

He'd settled for answering honestly, with whatever crossed his mind in that moment, but that had been the wrong move. Keith deflated and looked at him with an expression caught between a grimace and a pout. Hunk would’ve laughed at his funny face had it not been for the exasperation radiating off the shorter man.

“Dude, seriously, if you’re not interested, it’s fine. But at least be straightforward about it,” Keith scolded with a twinge of defeat. 

Hunk’s stomach sank. “I didn’t mean it like that!”

He reached out and grabbed Keith’s shoulders, bringing them face to face, and spoke his intentions as clearly as possible.

“Yes, Keith, I would love to go on a date-date study date with you. This has been a lot of fun, and I’d like to get to know you more. Tell me when and where, and I’d happily meet you tomorrow.”

They stood like that, unnervingly close and somewhat awkward, for a long moment of silence before Keith huffed a short laugh.

“Great,” he breathed in response.

And Keith grinned so brightly, it made even Hunk blush. That smile was lethal. He quickly let the other boy go, and they parted ways to get washed up and change into their clothes. The whole while, Hunk couldn’t stop asking himself just what _exactly_ he’d gotten himself into this time. Keith was nice, but he was still _trouble_ , Hunk could tell that much. 

But, if he could smile like _that_ , then maybe the trouble would be worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aaaand there's day 2 of the vld lgbt month! this is a fun little series, and i had a lot of fun with this chapter! i've been wanting to try heith for a while bc i actually really like that pairing lol
> 
> next (and final) part of this blind date au will be up tomorrow for day 3 (*wink wink* it's totally shance, duh)
> 
> hmu on tumblr @fratboyshiro
> 
> check out the event im writing for on tumblr @voltronlgbtmonth


	3. you're the only one (I see)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 3 (Bi)- Shiro/Lance not-so-blind date :--)

“First off, I’d like to thank you all for joining this impromptu meeting to discuss a very serious topic.”

Pidge announced the commencement of their totally professional friend-team-meeting from her perch atop the highest bean bag chair. All around her, her friends were sprawled in varying forms of comfort, snacking on chips and looking bored.

“I hardly think Lance’s love life is a serious topic,” Keith retorted, popping another hot cheeto in his mouth.

“It’s most definitely a serious topic, because _we’re_ the ones that gotta deal with the fall out!” Pidge exclaimed, nearly knocking over a popcorn bowl in her fit of passion.

She’d just dealt with a lot of 2 am sad-Lance-calls recently, okay? She was justified in her tantrum.

“She’s got a point babe,” Hunk said, nodding at Pidge in understanding. “I get that Lance isn’t as close to you or Allura, but soon enough you’ll be subjected to his woes.”

“Woe cometh for us all.” Keith whispered cryptically, licking the cheeto dust from his fingers.

“Well, dear, what do you propose we do to help?” Allura asked between sips of her wine cooler.

“Thanks for asking princess. So, Lance, through some strange miracle, managed to bring us all together. But that definitely doesn’t make him a love guru.” Pidge motioned for Hunk to continue, which he did with vigor.

“In fact, he is endeavoring now to do probably the dumbest thing ever.”

“Which is?” Allura asked again, after a dramatic moment of silence.

“He’s trying to play matchmaker for Shiro,” Pidge announced, with every ounce of exasperation caged in her tiny little body.

Allura just looked confused, but at least the statement caught Keith’s attention, going so far as to make him choke on his cheetos.

“Is _that_ what he’s been doing?” He asked between spicy coughs, tears in his eyes.

“Unfortunately, yes,” Hunk replied, trying to pat his back soothingly.

“I’m sorry, who’s Shiro?” Allura leaned in closer to Pidge, trying to be heard over Keith’s loud hacking.

“Sorry Allura, I forget you’re new to this friend group,” Pidge replied with an apologetic smile.

Hunk elaborated once his boyfriend wasn’t in danger of death-by-cheetos, “Shiro is a grad student, super cool dude, Keith’s best friend, and the root of Lance’s secret crush for the past year.” 

“Wait, Lance has a crush on Shiro?” Keith asked as he wiped away some stray tears.

“Yes,” Pidge answered, regarding Keith’s surprise with suspicion. 

She exchanged a quick glance with Hunk, who just shrugged. She was surprised Lance’s crush wasn’t obvious to the entire campus yet, but maybe Keith had just missed it somehow.

“Then why is he making Shiro date other people?” Keith asked, clearly affronted.

“That does seem rather counterproductive,” Allura agreed.

“Because he’s an idiot! Glad to see you’re all catching on!” Pidge exclaimed through a mouthful of popcorn.

“I think what Pidge means is that Lance is just a little dense and a lot lacking in self-confidence, so he thinks the best way to get over his ‘hopeless’ crush is to get Shiro to date someone else,” Hunk explained with a weary smile.

“Which is even worse, because I know for a fact that Shiro likes Lance.” Keith scoffed, reaching for his bag of hot cheetos again.

“Wait, seriously?” This was new information to Pidge.

“Uh, yeah?” He mumbled through a mouthful of artificial spicy goodness.

“Shit, well this is better than I expected. I thought we were gonna have to find a way to woo Shiro into asking Lance out.” Pidge reclined in her bean bag, just the slightest bit self-satisfied.

“No wooing needed, I can say that much. But Shiro’s just as stubborn as Lance when it comes to the whole ‘no, I’ll let _him_ make the first move’ type of thing,” Keith explained further.

“Alright, so they have mutual crushes. Cool. They’re also both complete hard heads. Not cool. So, any ideas on how to get passed that?” Hunk looked around their group hopefully.

Everyone took a moment to brainstorm, looking lost in thought. Except for Keith. Keith just kept eating his hot cheetos noisily. It was actually getting kind of annoying. Pidge hoped he choked again. 

Thankfully, Allura sat up with a sound of glee, gathering all their attention.

“Actually, I might have an idea.” She drawled, eyes bright with mischief.

Allura’s smile had that wicked quirk to it and Pidge grinned. Oh, this was gonna be _good_.

 

…

 

“Allura, I just wanna say thanks again for setting up this double date.”

Lance threw the comment over his shoulder, while he fixed his hair for the fifth time that hour, squinting at his reflection.

“Of course Lance, it’s what friends are for.” Allura shrugged from her spot on his couch, where she’d sat watching him in amusement for the past half hour.

“I’ve been trying so hard to find a girl for Shiro that I’ve put myself on the backburner. The ladies have been deprived of Lancey Lance for too long.” 

Lance sighed, leaving his hair alone for now. Wait, was that a zit on his forehead?

“Right,” Allura agreed half-heartedly.

Allura had approached him a couple days ago, proposing a double date for him and Shiro with some girls she knew. Lance had been focusing his efforts on finding Shiro a date, trying to get over his dumb crush on the dude. He hadn’t even considered that another way to get over a crush was to find a _new_ crush. Ideally, he could look for a girl that was nothing like Shiro. Someone small and feminine, with delicate features instead of the strong lines he’d been so enamored with.

“Anyway, stop primping and hurry along, you look fine. Ezor and Acxa don’t like to be kept waiting.” Allura finally pushed him away from the mirror, fed up with his vanity.

“Where do you know these girls from again?” Lance asked excitedly as they made their way out of his dorm building.

“They’re from my mixed martial arts class. So be nice.”

MMA fighters? Well, that dashed his hopes of finding a delicate girl. But that was fine! A strong girl would be great too! Allura was strong and she was gorgeous. He’d be lucky to have a girl like that. There we go Lance, think positive! 

Allura walked him halfway to the meeting point and then left him on his own, getting a mysteriously convenient “emergency call” from Pidge. Lance let her go with a wave and continued on his way. Not a minute later, he spotted Shiro in the distance, looking around awkwardly. Suspicious? Maybe. But Lance shrugged it off and jogged over to the dude, greeting him chipperly despite his fluttering heart.

“Hey man, how are you feeling? You look a little nervous,” Lance commented, giving him a quick pat on the back.

“I guess you could say that.” Shiro smiled warily with a shrug.

“Aw, don’t be. You’re a total stud.”

“Thanks Lance. So are you.”

His smile was warmer this time, which meant Lance’s compliment worked. And he knew in his heart of hearts that Shiro was only being nice in returning the gesture. But that did nothing to calm the butterflies in his stomach. He sped up his walk, ducking his red face out of Shiro’s sight, and did his best to keep up some polite small talk.

They eventually caught sight of their meeting point in the distance, and as expected, there were two girls waiting in the shade of a tree. Even from this distance, Lance could tell they were stunning. They were both the same height, which seemed to match Allura’s stature; was there some sort of requirement for MMA fighters to be 5’8” or taller or something? 

Lance sort of had his eyes set on the less intimidating one, with the pretty dark skin and bright pink hair tied in high ponytail. She seemed like a good time. Or maybe it was simply because she was the only one smiling that made her look more approachable. She could probably break Lance’s arm without even breaking a sweat. And she’d do it with a smile.

“You wanna call dibs?” Lance whispered to Shiro as they got closer to the pair.

“Uh, not really.” Shiro’s eyes were wide; Lance wasn’t the only one feeling intimidated.

“Just let them decide?” Lance suggested.

“Yeah.” Shiro nodded quickly.

That was their final exchange before the girls caught sight of them, the peppy pink haired one waving them over with a dazzling smile.

“Hi boys! You must be Lance, and Shiro?” She greeted, guessing their names correctly; Allura must’ve pointed them out before. 

“I’m Ezor, and this is my girlfriend Acxa.” She waved to herself and then to the other girl.

Girlfriend? As in, a girl that was her friend? Lance really hated when girls said stuff like that, it did nothing but confuse him. Why couldn't they just call each other friends? Acxa just nodded at them, face still blank. Her sharp eyes paired with that dark lipstick and straight cut black bob made for a pretty severe picture. Not to say she wasn’t pretty, she definitely was. But if Ezor could break Lance’s arm while smiling, then Acxa was the type to break his leg without even sparing a look in his direction.

Lance was brought out of his strangely painful daydream as Ezor approached them, dragging Acxa closely behind. 

“We’re still new to this city, so it was so nice to hear from Allura that you’d be willing to double date with us. We haven’t been out on a date since we don’t know what’s nice around here.”

Lance and Shiro exchanged a quick look. That sounded… oddly phrased, but Lance let it slide, answering with a charming smile.

“Yeah, of course. It’s our pleasure, really. Right Shiro?” He nudged the man next to him.

“Oh yeah, of course.” Shiro put on his best smile as well.

“Allura said you knew the best sushi place in town?” Acxa finally spoke up, gaze falling on Shiro.

“Yeah, I do.” His eyes lit up, smile softening into something more natural. “It’s a small family owned place. Not much foot traffic, so it’s never too busy. But I’m friends with the owners, they’re such a nice older couple. Really authentic food.”

Lance smiled up at his friend; Shiro was a real charmer, whether he intended to be or not.

“It’s not too far from here, so we can walk and talk, build up an appetite.” Lance suggested, motioning in the general direction of the restaurant.

“Sounds lovely! Lead the way boys.” Ezor clapped in delight and reached out for Acxa.

It seemed to almost happen in slow motion, the way Acxa moved forward with a soft smile, linking her fingers with Ezor. It was so natural, so intimate, that Lance found himself glancing away in embarrassment. Shiro seemed to have come to the same conclusion and turned away, cheeks pink, and began leading the way to the restaurant.

This was _not_ what Lance had imagined when Allura mentioned a double date.

He spared Shiro a hesitant glance, only the find the man already looking his way with a bashful smile. In that quick moment, they seemed to both accept their fate. They weren’t going to ruin what would be this nice couple’s first date in town. So, Lance guessed they would just have to pretend to be dates as well. No big deal. He could pretend to be on a date with Shiro. What was the worst that could happen?

Shiro nudged Lance lightly to get his attention, ducking down to whisper in his ear.

“Hey, should we hold hands too?”

Lance jerked away, wide eyed and heart racing. Shiro snickered and backed off, slowing down so he could start chatting with the girls; as if he hadn’t just almost caused Lance to die of cardiac arrest or something.

This was setting up to be the longest day of Lance’s pathetic life.

 

…

 

“Wow Shiro, you weren’t kidding. This food is amazing!” Ezor applauded as she stuffed another piece of sushi in her mouth.

Between the four of them, they’d managed to order and sample at least half the menu. Shiro assured them time and again not to worry too much about the bill. He’d take care of it. Lance couldn’t decipher whether that meant Shiro had suddenly won the lottery and was rich, or whether he intended to keep Lance behind and wash dishes to help pay off the debt to the owners. But the girls were having a good time, so he guessed it was worth it either way.

“So, how did you two meet?” Ezor asked suddenly. 

Shiro choked a bit on his green tea, but managed to reply with a confused, “Excuse me?”

“Ezor, not this again.” Acxa sighed with a roll of her eyes.

“What? I like hearing how people got together. You know I never pass up an opportunity to share _our_ fateful meeting,” Ezor replied with a megawatt smile.

“Yes dear, I know you don’t,” Acxa grumbled.

Shiro and Lance exchanged a panicked glance. Ezor was looking at them expectantly, and even Acxa was watching them with vague interest. They had to come up with something, and fast. Well, might as well settle for the truth, right?

“Well, Shiro was the TA for one of my astronomy courses a couple semesters ago.”

That was true. They met in class, Shiro as Professor Coran’s less confusing assistant. Dr. Coran would give very enthusiastic yet somewhat convoluted lectures, and Shiro would stay after class to help explain any difficult concepts to students that needed it. Lance found himself staying back less because he needed the help, and more because he just liked Shiro’s company. Shiro seemed to recall their first meetings as well, since he chuckled and continued the story.

“Yeah, he would come up to me after lectures, always looking like he had a serious question about the day’s lesson.”

Lance smiled and added on, “But really, I would just drop the most ridiculous pick up lines on him. Every time. And he was still surprised, _every_ time.”

They shared a quick laugh and Ezor practically cooed at them.

“Aw, that’s so cute! Isn’t that cute, baby?” She nudged her girlfriend but Acxa remained unimpressed.

“So you were wooed by cheesy pick up lines?” She asked, obviously skeptic of their ‘relationship.’

“Uh, no, well… not exactly.” 

Shiro chuckled; he was too honest for his own good. Lance groaned internally, wishing Shiro had just rolled with it and told a lie, but then he _kept talking_ and Lance felt his heart stop.

“That was just how he caught my attention. By the end of the semester, we were pretty good friends. It’s after I got to know him, that, you know...” Shiro trailed off vaguely, refusing to look at Lance suddenly.

Acxa leaned forward with a coy smile. “That you figured out you liked him?”

“Yeah.” And Shiro said it so bashfully, cheeks red, that it couldn’t be interpreted as anything but the truth.

Lance couldn’t breathe. It felt like all the air got punched out of him with that one word. Shiro still wouldn’t look at him, even though Lance couldn’t seem to look away.

“So who made the first move?”

“Ezor.”

“What? I’m curious! Look, Acxa and I were friends too, but it was me that got impatient and finally asked her out. There, I shared a bit about us.”

“Uh, well, neither of us made the first move, actually,” Lance replied dazedly, slowly coming back to himself.

“Yeah, we were pretty clueless of each other’s feelings.” Shiro finally had the gall to look at Lance, and it was tinged with a hint of annoyance of all things.

“Yep!” Lance continued chipperly, his next words sharp as knives, “I’m pretty sure Shiro _never_ even _noticed_ I was crushing on him since day one, honestly.”

“Exactly,” Shiro gave him a sharp look, “And _I’m_ pretty sure Lance never even knew I was bi, so there’s that.”

Lance blinked up at him dumbly.

“Wait, no shit? You’re bi?” Lance wasn’t sure why he was so surprised, but he still had to clarify.

“Yes, Lance. I’m bi.” Shiro replied with a tired smile.

“Now boys, communication is key to a healthy relationship,” Ezor chimed in, in a sing-song voice.

“Alright Ezor, I think that’s enough,” Acxa scolded, but her lips were curled in amusement. “Shiro, does this place have plum ice cream?”

“Uh, yes, very good plum ice cream. It’s actually my favorite.” Shiro answered warily, caught off guard by the change of topic.

“Great, you should order yourself some and keep talking. I hear ice cream and feelings go hand in hand.” Ezor smiled, gathering up her purse.

“What she means is, we’ll take our leave now.” Acxa sighed and got to her feet, “Thank you for a nice time. Good luck on your new _relationship_.”

And with that quick farewell, the girls were gone, leaving the pair flustered and dumbfounded. Lance supposed that now they were meant to sit there and talk about their accidental confessions, like the mature adults they were. Except Lance wasn’t sure he could reliably open his mouth and not immediately stress-puke all over their table. His stomach was doing backflips like it was trying to win the olympics or something. He chanced a glance up at Shiro and was somewhat comforted by the fact that he didn’t seem to be doing so great either. His face was flushed and his hands were fidgeting for something to do.

Suddenly Shiro shifted in his seat, and Lance had a moment of panic thinking he was trying to make a run for it. One, that would be rude and Lance couldn’t afford the bill. Two, that would completely destroy any remaining strands of self-esteem Lance had left, to be literally ditched by his long-time crush because of accidental-maybe-confessions.

But luckily, Shiro didn’t run off. He’d just moved to motion over the waitress, and Lance watched him with a relieved curiousity.

“Hi, yeah, can I get um… four orders of plum ice cream please?”

His voice cracked a bit at the end, but the waitress just smiled and went on her way. Shiro sighed and looked back at Lance, a sudden horror in his eyes.

“Shit, did you want any ice cream? We’re gonna be here a while, you know, to talk about our feelings. And Ezor was right-”

“Ice cream and feelings go hand in hand.” Lance smiled shakily, relaxing into his seat. “Yeah, okay, they got any plain chocolate ice cream here? I’ll need four orders of that too.”

“Four orders of chocolate ice cream, coming up.” Shiro laughed and waved at the waitress again.

Lance smiled. Maybe this wouldn’t end in a total disaster after all. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that concludes this little blind date au! i wrote half of this while doped up on cold medicine so keith x hot cheetos became my newest otp somehow lol
> 
> and just because this au is wrapped up doesn't mean im done with the event month! tomorrow a new 2 part fic will start going up for days 4 & 5, so stay tuned, especially if you like rarepairs (*cough* hallureith *cough*)
> 
> hmu on tumblr @fratboyshiro
> 
> check out the event on tumblr that im writing for @voltronlgbtmonth


End file.
